


Our Little Family: Before

by 1FrozenRutabaga



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Bonnie's a little nervous, Chica's a troublemaker, Family, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Foxy's very hyper, Freddy Fazbear is a Good Dad, Freddy loves them very much, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-06-02 23:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19451677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1FrozenRutabaga/pseuds/1FrozenRutabaga
Summary: Before 1987, things were different. Very different. The animatronics were in their own little bubble, happy and mostly oblivious from the cruelness of humanity. These are their moments together before '87 shattered their world. This is Before.





	1. Bug

**Author's Note:**

> AKA: Freddy's a tired, but amazing parent.
> 
> Are y'all surprised? Me too! Since these moments will only be mentioned briefly in the Main AU, I wanted to make them their own little oneshots. Besides, I think it's a good balance with the Bad Endings. These are meant to be fluffy and wholesome family moments.
> 
> This can be read as stand-alone if you haven't read Our Little Family since this is before then. Also these won't be in chronological order, but the timeline will be between 1972 and 1987.

Freddy usually wasn’t one to pick favorites, but he would have to say summer was his favorite season. Fall was a close second with the beautiful colors of the tree leaves and Halloween, a fun holiday that everyone in the pizzeria enjoyed with the decorations and costumes, but summer was when those little glowing bugs came out. Fireflies and lightning bugs, as Freddy had heard them called. The weather was pleasantly warm, the crickets chirped until dawn, and when they went to the park Freddy could hear those little frogs peeping away.

There were some downsides, of course. Sometimes it was so hot that not many children came to the pizzeria or even none at all. It stormed a lot, which usually wasn’t a problem until there was thunder, and Bonnie had an enormous fear of thunder. Sometimes it would rain for days, so Freddy couldn’t sneak Foxy out to the park to wear him out for the night, resulting in the cycle of the oldest animatronic being woken up by a restless fox in the middle of the night or early morning. Freddy was more than used to being at the center of a fearful cuddle pile whenever the rain came down too hard or the power went out.

Tonight was a pleasant night. Freddy was reading one of the books from the lost-and-found, a more adult book. Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy were sitting in front of the windows by the counter watching the fireflies outside. They were mostly quiet in fear of scaring away the fireflies and in awe of the mesmerizing show. Another reason why summer was a great time; the perfect distractions for the others to sit still for a few hours.

Freddy loved the others, he truly did, but the moments where he could sit down for a few minutes and have some time to himself felt so incredibly good.

It didn’t last. There was giggling, Bonnie and Chica, and then the sound of one of the doors carefully opening and shutting. Freddy couldn’t help but hope that he had just imagined the sound. _Just five more minutes,_ he mentally pleaded, _just five more minutes. I'm at the good part of the story._ Again, he truly did love them, but was it so bad to want some time to himself?

“Freddy!” Bonnie called, giggling madly. “Come look!”

Bonnie and Chica were sitting in front of the window, blinds up to watch the light-show. It didn’t take Freddy long to see what was so funny. Foxy was running around the parking lot snapping his jaws while chasing after fireflies.

Freddy fought a sigh, but not a chuckle. Sometimes he wondered what went through Foxy’s head. He would never understand how Foxy had made the connection to go outside and try and eat the fireflies. He had always been a little stranger than Bonnie and Chica, and a little bolder as well. He wasn't afraid to go out into the parking lot like Bonnie and Chica were.

One firefly didn’t fly out of Foxy’s path fast enough. The jaws came down on it, trapping it in the fox’s mouth. The fluffy red tail was wagging excitedly, Foxy triumphant.

“Foxy ate it!” Bonnie exclaimed. Chica was dying of laughter next to him.

Freddy grimaced. “Yes, he did.” Yes, Foxy had always been the strangest one.

Foxy came back in, glowing with pride. Literally; he was actually glowing. The greenish-yellow glow of the firefly managed to show through his chest, flickering on and off. It must have tried to escape down Foxy’s throat, only to find that its prison was simply larger now.

“I caught one!” Foxy proclaimed.

“I can see that,” Freddy said. “It’s in your chest.”

Foxy nodded. “I’m goin’ ta keep it as a pet! I named it Buggy!”

A small part of Freddy’s nonexistent heart melted. As strange as Foxy was, he was still just a child. The silly name for the firefly was adorable.

Chica jogged past Freddy. “I want one!”

Bonnie followed her. “Me too!”

Freddy wasted no time in grabbing both of them by the scruffs of their fur. “No, no,” he said. “No eating bugs.”

The two whined, disheartened. “Please?” Bonnie asked, his eyes becoming comically big.

Freddy looked at Foxy. “Will you share it with them?”

The fox looked scandalized. “Pfft, of course I will! What do ye take me fer?”

 _An animatronic who eats bugs._ Freddy let go of the colorful scruffs of fur and looked down at Bonnie and Chica, smiling. “See, you can all share Buggy. Pets are family.”

The two crowded around Foxy. Chica poked Foxy’s chest, snickering. “It’s still glowing.”

Of course, Freddy had a feeling Buggy wasn’t going to be around for too long. Bugs crawled, and having one on a wire or endoskeleton would drive anyone nuts. Foxy was stubborn and wouldn't dare admit that Buggy was causing him problems.

He’d give it an hour.

Just as Freddy had suspected, Foxy trudged up to him a little under an hour later. Bonnie and Chica had sounded upset earlier by their places at the window, so Foxy must have admitted that Buggy wasn’t going to be around for much longer.

“Buggy’s botherin’ me,” Foxy grumbled. He was very focused on looking down at the floor, his ears drooped. His cheeks would be glowing red if he had flesh and blood. “He’s crawlin’ all over my wires. It’s itchy.”

Freddy couldn’t feel smug. Despite the odd situation, Foxy had been so excited to keep his bug. It had barely been a year since Foxy came here and he was still so new to their little world. It was a part of life, discovering that you couldn’t keep everything you found and that some thing’s just had to be let go of, but Freddy still felt bad whenever the others learned that lesson again.

It didn’t take long for Freddy to find Buggy on one of Foxy’s ribs. The front of the fox’s suit was sitting on the stage. It was a good thing they were easily detachable. The bear was careful in removing the firefly, letting it crawl on his finger and into his palm before pulling away.

Freddy held the bug in his hand. Buggy seemed fine to just sit there. “I’ll go put Buggy back outside,” he said.

Foxy whined, unhappy that he had to let Buggy go.

“He’ll be much happier back where he belongs.” The bear patted Foxy’s head gently. “It’s okay.”

Bonnie and Chica watched him as he opened the door. The warm, humid air hit him, mingling with the air conditioning from the pizzeria. It didn’t take long for Buggy to fly from his palm and back to his friends, happy to be outside again. Freddy let the door shut and allowed himself to be lost in the lights for a few minutes.

Foxy had put his front back and had already returned to sit with Bonnie and Chica, all three of them watching the fireflies again.

Freddy loved the summertime.


	2. Thunder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonnie gets his first listen of thunder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been raining really hard recently (drown out the fireworks/gunfire please my dogs freak the hell out) and it gave me this cute idea.
> 
> This is shortly after Bonnie came to the pizzeria, like two weeks or so, so it's just him and Freddy here. Chica comes in a few months later, then Foxy comes after her a few months after her. They're fairly spaced out.

Freddy was a fairly heavy sleeper. He would go to sleep and nothing would wake him through the whole night. He had carefully crafted his schedule to give time to himself at night before shutting down, waking up just in time for opening. It had been the way he slept for years.

Of course, things changed with Bonnie’s arrival. Freddy would stay up later with Bonnie to help ease him into the new environment, preparing him for when the pizzeria would part the curtains to welcome the new addition. They had another week before Bonnie was introduced, but Freddy didn’t rush the training. Bonnie was much more fidgety and nervous than he had ever been, and Freddy wanted to sand down the fear as much as that was possible so that the other could enjoy what was to come. 

Sleep was more of a luxury than a need, but a refreshing one, so he made sure he and Bonnie got enough sleep at night. Bonnie had settled into his spot on Freddy’s right comfortably, and Freddy found that he wasn’t bothered by the presence next to him. It was actually comforting, knowing he wasn’t alone anymore. He truly felt like his sleep had grown heavier and smoother with that knowledge.

So it was a surprise when Bonnie, not the rain or thunder, woke him up with just a high-pitched squeak.

Freddy opened his eyes and looked over. Bonnie looked frightened, looking around wildly. The rain was coming down hard on the roof, the thunderclap fading.

“F-Freddy?” Bonnie looked around the ceiling. “What is that? What’s happening?”

“That’s a rainstorm, Bonnie. Those loud bangs are called thunder.” He was surprised that it hadn’t rained in the past few weeks. It was early May at this point.

The next _boom_ shook the building. Not much, but enough where it could be felt. Bonnie let out a loud wail, his ears curled and quivering and his eyes shut tightly.

Freddy went and wrapped his arms around the bunny. “Bonnie, it’s okay,” he soothed. “It’s only a storm, they don’t last forever. It’ll be gone by morning, I’m sure.”

Bonnie clung to Freddy’s fur. “I-it’s scary!” he cried. He would be crying tears if he had the ability to. He trembled under another deafening clap. "That's terrifying!"

Freddy patted his head gently. It must be closing in. “I know, I know,” he murmured. “It’s not going to hurt us, fluffy. We’re safe and dry in here.”

The bunny flinched at the sound of the rain coming down harder. The nickname, however, seemed to help him ground himself somewhat. “When will it stop?” he asked.

Freddy could hear a plea in his voice. “It could be a few minutes or a few hours. They usually end by morning.”

“They can go on for _hours_?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Bonnie’s face scrunched up, annoyed. “Why do they even happen?”

Good question. “Well, everything needs water to survive-.”

“But we don’t,” Bonnie interrupted, confused. The thunder admonished him for cutting in, making him shiver down to his toes.

Freddy nodded. “That’s right. _We_ don’t need water, but everything else that’s living does. Like the animals you sometimes see in the parking lot, humans, the little plants you see growing from the cracks in the pavement; all of those things need water to live.”

“Why?” _What’s so special about water_ , Bonnie thought as he shrunk further under the pounding sound of the rain.

“I’m not quite sure,” Freddy admitted. He knew that humans needed water or they would become sick, especially when it was hot outside, but he didn’t know the exact reason why. “They just do.”

“So what does the rain do?” Bonnie asked. He had seen humans drinking from cups, not from rain. He whimpered when another _bang_ shook the building. “A-and why does that happen?”

“Rain helps things grow. Remember those plants outside? The rain will make them grow faster and stronger. The thunder just happens when there's lightning.” Then he chuckled. “But the humans run around in it sometimes. Some think it’s fun to play in.”

“What’s lightning?”

“They’re big flashes of light. They happen during storms sometimes.”

More thunder. Bonnie really hated thunder. “And the thunder’s coming from the lightning?”

“Yes. It’s amazing to watch.” Freddy thought for a moment. “We can go to the window and look.”

Bonnie’s grip tightened. “No!” he exclaimed. “No, let’s…” He looked at Freddy, rosy eyes bright with fear. “Please, can we stay here?”

“Of course.”

They stood there for a few minutes, Freddy holding Bonnie while the bunny clung to him tightly. The thunder barely slowed its onslaught, the rumbling sounds just so frightening for Bonnie. He trembled and whimpered, his eyes shut tightly and face buried into Freddy’s fur as if he could hide from the sounds. His ears were ramrod straight, Bonnie too scared to even try and cover them anymore.

Then Freddy had an idea. He felt bad that he’d have to leave Bonnie, but it’d only be for a minute. He gently separated the younger from him. “I’ll be right back,” he said.

“W-wait, where are you going?” Bonnie asked, staring after Freddy incredulously.

“To get something to help.”

The supply closet was filled with plenty of things. First-aid kits, cleaning supplies, extra uniforms for the workers, and blankets. Lots of blankets. After a nasty blizzard had trapped some employees in the building for the night a while back, blankets suddenly had their own spot in the closet. They were thick and big enough for an adult human to be covered.

Three blankets would be enough. They were all bright colors, the three chosen red, purple, and pink. Freddy went to work, using the safety pins to connect the fabrics together. It would certainly be big enough to cover them both. He anticipated Bonnie worrying the fabric with his hands – he had developed a nervous habit of tugging and rubbing his bow-tie – so the excess would be fine.

By the time Freddy returned to the stage, Bonnie was sitting and hugging his knees. He looked like the wet kitten Freddy had plucked from a puddle in the parking lot a year back. He smiled sympathetically, then tossed the blanket over Bonnie when he was close enough. The bunny let out a yelp, flailing a bit. His ears were very pronounced under the fabric. He lifted it back behind his ears, confused. His nose twitched slightly.

It was a very cute sight. Freddy wished he had grabbed the camera. He chuckled. “Scoot over,” he said gently.

The heat of the blanket was pleasant. Freddy sat up, leaning back slightly under Bonnie’s weight. Bonnie clung to Freddy’s fur when the bear was situated, Freddy dragging the blanket back over them. He hugged the younger close, petting the back of Bonnie’s head.

“Better?” he asked.

Bonnie nodded. “Better,” he whispered, burrowing under Freddy’s chin and the blanket.

-

The thunder stopped a few hours later and the rain had slowed and let up.

It was still some time before the pizzeria opened, so once Freddy was sure the worst had passed he looked at Bonnie and asked, “Do you want to go see the rain?”

The bunny was bleary-eyed. He hadn’t slept for more than a few minutes at a time. While sleeping wasn’t necessary, Bonnie certainly needed it for the amount of worrying he did. He rubbed his eyes. “I guess.”

They left the blanket on the stage. Bonnie was reluctant to abandon it, but didn’t say anything. In front of the shuttered window, Freddy grabbed the cord that hung limply and pulled up the blinds. 

Bonnie gasped.

The rain was coming down gently. Puddles had formed all around the parking lot, illuminated under the light of the streetlamps and faint glow of the sky. The lights of the buildings across the street twinkled under the droplets. It was so…peaceful, gentle, and it was just falling from the sky.

“Wow,” Bonnie breathed. “It just…falls? Like that?”

“Yes. It’s very pretty, isn’t it?”

Bonnie smiled nervously. “It’s not so bad when it’s like this,” he admitted. He definitely liked this better than the thunder.

The two watched the rain fall for a few minutes. It was nice, Freddy thought, having someone to share this with. The rain was too beautiful for him to watch alone.

A distant rumbling thunderclap made Bonnie jump, squeaking. He latched onto Freddy’s arm and buried his face into the chocolate fur. “Freddy, it’s not over!” he cried, already shaking again.

Freddy reached and patted his head. “It’s passed over us,” he said. “It’ll roll off until it eventually stops. No more thunder, fluffy.”

The rosy eyes peered up at him. “Can we go back to the blanket? Please?”

Freddy smiled. “Sure.” He gave the cord a small yank and the blinds fell down.

Despite the cheerful response, Bonnie’s ears wilted. “Sorry for waking you up,” he mumbled. “This is so dumb.”

“It's okay. Noises can be scary,” Freddy told him, gently moving the other off so they could go walk back to the stage. “It took me some time to get used to thunder, too. It’s not dumb at all.”

“I have no clue how you weren’t freaking out. Seriously, that absolutely terrifying.” 

“You’ll get used to it eventually.”

“Doubt it.”

Freddy climbed onto the stage. He should probably fill Bonnie in on what else the weather had to offer. It would give the other at least some preparation for what was the inevitably happen in the future. For now, however, he’d let Bonnie process thunder for a little while. He highly doubted it would start hailing in May now.

They burrowed back under the blanket. Bonnie wasn’t clinging anymore, but he still held onto Freddy, his head on the bear’s shoulder. Freddy didn’t mind, just smoothed the fur on Bonnie’s head as best as he could. Maybe he should try and brush it, fix it a little and give it more fluff. It would certainly add some more puff to Bonnie’s character. He chuckled a little at the thought, the nervous and sassy bunny pouting at the sheer fluff of his fur.

“Can we do this more often? The cuddling?” Bonnie suddenly asked. He could feel his wires burning at the dumb question. “I mean, I’m not scared anymore, but it just…feels nice.” _Safe._

Freddy smiled. He couldn’t agree more. “Of course, Bonnie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freddy used to be a pretty heavy sleeper. _Used to be._ Bonnie did eventually grow out of it and now actually loves thunderstorms, but he used to be a very clingy whenever they happened and now Freddy's a very light sleeper. And if you didn't catch that little hint in the beginning, Bonnie was "born" a little after mid-April (April 18th, 1974)
> 
> Also notice how I use "bunny" for Bonnie here instead of "rabbit" like in the Main AU? That's because he's not a "baby" anymore by then. He's "grown up" at that point. (he and the others minus Freddy and Goldie are 23 but as you can tell they still act like kids sometimes)


	3. Swear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Foxy learns a very colorful and bad word. Freddy tries, and fails, to make him stop saying it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed more completely innocent wholesome time and I knew yinz needed it too. (Gonna be honest, teeny bit burnt out with WBG. I'll get to updating it soon ((I'm not on a hiatus from it)) but I want more inherently wholesome stuff)
> 
> Foxy was "born" in October, so I'd say it's early 1975 in the first half and then switches gears to sometime in or after 1997 (not by much) No spoilers, just a random encounter with no purpose other than for that moment.

Freddy felt like the world was ending. With what had just come from Foxy’s mouth, it probably was.

“Where did you hear that word?” Freddy asked, slightly hysterical.

Foxy’s playful grin remained on his face. “Some adults!” he chirped. His tail swayed back and forth. “Why?”

It was far after closing and nearing midnight. Bonnie was onstage tweaking his guitar and practicing songs he'd heard off the radio and Chica was in the kitchen studying the cookbook again. Freddy had come into the Cove when he heard Foxy laughing to ask what was so funny. He almost hadn't wanted to disturb the younger seeing as how it was a chance to get some alone time, but Freddy was too curious.

Then Foxy with his most innocent smile and bright eyes chirped, "Fuck."

Stars, this was what Freddy was afraid of. Bonnie and Chica hadn’t said any swear words yet because Freddy had taught them that those were bad, but it had completely slipped his mind to tell Foxy. Between the nightly runs in the park, the late nights listening to chatter or playing fetch, the constant hyper-activeness, all the while as he tried to split up time as equally as possible between the others, Freddy was exhausted. He had forgotten about it completely and he wasn’t sure if he should be more worried about forgetting about it or that he was so tired that he actually forgot it.

Either way, here they were.

“You shouldn’t say words like that,” Freddy said.

“Why not?”

Despite the situation, Foxy just looked and sounded so young and adorable and _stars, my little sunshine is going to grow up someday, how much longer are they going to stay my babies, maybe I should write a secret note to the manager to suggest another because I’m not ready..._

He shook his head. No, no he had to stay focused. Foxy had said a swear word and Freddy needed to tell him why those weren’t allowed. “Because those are very bad words.”

“Why are they bad?”

“They just are.”

“That’s dumb.”

“Maybe to you and other children, but not to adults.”

Foxy’s face scrunched up. “How come adults can say them?”

“They shouldn’t say them, but they do because they’re mature and all grown up.”

“Well why don’ ye swear then? Ye’re an adult.”

This was like a game of ping-pong in purgatory. “Because swear words shouldn’t be said.”

“Have you ever sweared?”

“Swore, and no.”

“Do ye want ta?”

 _I’m on the verge of losing my mind._ “No.”

“Can I swear?”

 _Reverse psychology isn’t happening even with how tired I am._ “No.”

Foxy threw up his arms in anger. “Ugh! What’s so bad about them? They’re just words, it’s not like I’m runnin’ with scissors!”

Freddy couldn’t help but briefly flashback to when Chica ran after Bonnie with a screwdriver because she was teasing him about being dismantled. “They’re very hurtful words like ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’.”

“Do they mean ‘stupid’ or ‘idiot?” Foxy asked, raising a brow.

They were playing this game then, huh? “No, but they’re hurtful.”

Foxy actually seemed to contemplate, and for a second Freddy thought he had gotten the point across. Bonnie and Chica had accepted it when Freddy had said they were mean words, but Foxy…

“…So callin’ someone a fuck is worse than callin’ them stupid?”

Freddy winced at the profanity. “Absolutely,” he answered instantly.

Freddy had seen it all his life. A child would swear, and then they’d get a small cuff to the head or a spank for saying it. They’d be told that those were very adult words and that children shouldn’t ever say them. Freddy was wildly uncomfortable with just the thought of striking any of the others, it just didn’t seem right to him, but the he agreed that the swearing wasn’t a good thing. Those were adult things, and even Freddy watched his mouth despite him earning the title of being an adult.

Foxy hummed in thought. “But I won’ say it ta anyone in a mean way. It isn’ just a mean word. I’ve heard adults say it when they stub their toes.”

“Yes, but-.”

“What if I don’ say it in front of the children and not as an insult?” The fox looked like he had found the glitter jar again. “Can I still say it then? It’s a fun word, Freddy!”

Freddy opened his mouth, then closed it. He was tired, so tired, and this wasn’t a battle worth fighting. If he wasn’t so exhausted he could continue with this fight and make Foxy understand that swearing was bad, but he was exhausted. He had three gigantic children to look after. Bonnie and Chica’s antics, Bonnie’s naïve and fearful approach to things only to switch and become a calculating mastermind, Chica’s disasters in the kitchen and pranking, Foxy’s hyper-activity and the late nights with him chatting until the sun came up…

This wasn’t worth the hassle. If Bonnie and Chica started swearing, so be it. Freddy could live with it, he really could. It would be hard, _they’re just children_ , but this conversation was harder right now. He had come in to ask why Foxy was giggling, not to get into why swearing was bad. He wasn't mentally prepared for this battle.

So he sighed and said, “Never swear in front of the children.”

Foxy grinned ecstatically and wagged his tail. He knew he had won. “Fuck yeah!”

Freddy… Freddy could live with this.

\- - -

“Motherfuckin’ bastard, I’ll rip yer fuckin’ intestines out through yer cocksuckin’ throat!”

Freddy didn’t even flinch at the language. He was desensitized to it now, even with how creative Foxy had become with it.

An employee who wasn’t supposed to be there had snuck in, presumably on a dare from other staff members from the camera he was carrying. Freddy had been so caught up in his book that he hadn’t even thought twice about hearing the door open hours before Mike was supposed to come in. He looked up just in time to see the employee shove the camera into the Cove and press the trigger.

The flash had apparently been right in Foxy’s eyes. That was one way Foxy would chase you into your own grace.

 _“AAAIEEE!”_ the employee shrieked. _“Help!”_

Foxy lashed out blindly. His hook stuck in the camera and cut through most of it. The employee abandoned the device and stumbled back. Chica practically kicked down the kitchen door, eyes dark and hands balled into fists.

“What’s going on?” Bonnie shouted from down the hall. “Foxy?”

“It’s true!” the employee screamed, running past Chica. “They’re possessed!”

“Possessed with the urge to break your neck!” Chica yelled after him. “Get out!”

The door was already heard slamming shut. They could still hear his shouts of panic.

The fox rubbed his eyes. His hook remained lowered, the camera speared through it. “Ugh!”

Freddy was off the stage. He had half the mind to go after the employee, but with the camera destroyed and the young man thoroughly terrified, there wasn’t any need to risk getting seen. He ran over to Foxy side. “Foxy, are you okay?”

“I can’ fuckin’ see!” Foxy cried. He was furious, but Freddy could hear the fear.

He reached and gently gripped Foxy’s arm. “I’m right here.”

That seemed to calm Foxy down a little, though he was still blinking rapidly and swaying. “I can’ see,” he repeated, the fear in his voice surfacing clearly now.

“It’ll fade,” Freddy assured, patting the fluffy arm. “Your sight will come back in a few minutes.”

“Good, because I want to see who I’m killin’ in the mornin’!”

“Let’s refrain from traumatizing the children.” Though he wouldn't lie, he really wanted to wring that stupid employee's neck right now. Freddy reached and worked the camera off of Foxy’s hook. “I would’ve liked to see the picture,” he said jokingly. He tossed the device on a table.

“That hurt my fuckin’ eyes!” Foxy growled. He rubbed his one eye fiercely, his eyepatch flicked down over his other. “Motherfuckin’ bastard, I should’ve castrated him with my hook and shoved his dick down his own throat!”

“From how he sounded, I think you did,” Chica said almost flatly.

“What was that?” Bonnie called down the hall again.

“Some employee coming in on a dare and flashing Foxy’s eyes with a camera. Foxy scared the life out of him,” she answered.

“You think Mike and Chris will run into him?” Goldie added from the same hallway.

“If they do, I hope they run him over!” Foxy snapped.

Freddy looked down the one hall. “What are you two doing?” he asked, suspicious.

“Nothing!” Bonnie chirped. The clattering of a bucket and a loud splash echoed down the hall. “Dammit!”

“Bonnie, what the fuck?!”

“You said the board was secure, dumbass!”

Chica just sighed. “I have cookies to make for Mike,” she said, slipping back into the kitchen. “And a plot to hatch.”

Chica hatching plots was never a good thing.

Foxy had finally gotten over the flash’s blinding light. The pain had faded to an ache and the spots were gone from his vision. “Remember when ye sat down and talked with me about how ‘fuck’ was a bad word and that I shouldn’ say it?” he asked, smirking.

Freddy eyed him. “Yes, I remember that very well.” It had added more stress to his already exhausted mind.

Foxy’s tail swayed gently, all anger apparently swallowed up by the nostalgia of the question. “How come ye didn’ hammer that into me like ye did with Bonnie and Chica?” he asked, genuinely curious.

There was no hesitation. “Because I was very tired and I decided the constant lecturing wasn’t worth my sanity,” Freddy answered.

Foxy blinked. “Oh.” He shifted. “It really drove ye that crazy, huh?”

“My child began swearing, of course it drove me crazy.” Freddy glanced at him. “Do you remember when Michael repeated a swear word he heard from you as a little boy and how you freaked out?”

The fox bit his lip. “Alright, point taken.” He scratched his wrist. “So if ye had the chance ta, I don’ know, go back and stop me from doin’ that, would ye?”

Now that was a hilarious, and once frequent, thought. “I can’t imagine you not swearing now. It’s become part of your character, I could never get rid of that.”

Foxy frowned sheepishly. Nervously. “But back then I drove ye crazy already. Then me discoverin’ swearin’…”

“Foxy, all of you drove me crazy-.”

“Freddy.”

“Alright, maybe you drove me a little crazier than the others, but that’s just how it was. I wouldn’t change you for the world, not back then and not now.”

Foxy’s made a mumbling growl. “Sap.”

Then he moved in and quickly wrapped his arms around Freddy in a hug.

Freddy stiffened for a second, surprised. Foxy wasn’t one to just randomly give hugs, not to them. Mike was an exception because he was Mike, but the rest of them…

“Sorry I nearly drove ye further into insanity because I found out about swearin’,” Foxy mumbled. He settled his chin on Freddy’s head next to the hat.

The bear let out a small laugh. He gave a gentle squeeze back. “I already forgave that a while back.”

“Tryin’ ta be nice here. When?”

May as well be honest. “One of the many times I locked myself in the backroom for a few minutes of peace and alone time to cry.”

Foxy jerked his head back and stared, his jaw dropped. “Holy fuck, really?” They didn’t know Freddy actually cried.

Freddy chuckled and patted Foxy’s shoulder. “It just became a little too much sometimes. Again, I wouldn’t change any of you, or your swearing, for the world.”

“Okay, but still; that made ye fuckin’ _cry_?”

“Michael dropping an f-bomb on you when he was four didn’t make _you_ cry?”

“…Point taken.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you're an exhausted parent of 3 children who are 7+ feet tall, Freddy came to the realization that some things are easier to just accept. Poor papa bear was so tired back then ;C
> 
> Also Freddy has never agreed with corporal punishment, never will. Even back then he knew it wasn't a good thing and that it was traumatizing. He's never imagined laying a hurtful hand on one of the others to teach them a lesson. The corner and timeout worked just fine.


	4. Clumsy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddy Fazbear is welcomed to the world. He needs some time to get used to things, like walking without his programming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S FNAF'S 5TH BIRTHDAY YEEEEAAAAH BOOOOI
> 
> FNAF has officially been around for 5 years. Five Years at Freddy's! What better way to celebrate the beginning with a Freddy's beginning? It's short, but sweet.

Freddy blinked.

He _blinked_.

_What?_

“Wow,” a man in front of him breathed. He was a little plump and small, his tan skin and dusty blond hair shined with sweat and steely eyes glowing with amazement. His beard and mustache were neatly trimmed and peppered with grey hairs. “Hello, Freddy.”

Freddy. That was his name. It came to him easily now. His name was Freddy Fazbear, and his job was to bring joy to children. He was supposed to sing songs. He was supposed to walk around and sometimes bring cake to children who were having birthday parties. That was his purpose.

He was in a room. The floor was smooth and cloudy grey, the walls brick and a darker shade. There were shelves lining the walls, stacked with boxes and strange objects. The lights above were bright and the ceiling was high.

“Can you say my name? Henry?”

“Henry,” Freddy dutifully repeated. His ears flicked at his own voice. It was deep and smooth.

Henry clapped, his grin under his mustache growing. “Wonderful! You’re wonderful!” He turned his head the other way. “Will! Will, come here! I got him to speak!”

“Just a minute!” a man shouted back. “Working on my own here, remember?”

Henry huffed. “I know I still won the bet. Had to be so stubborn about getting your own room to work.” He turned back to Freddy, excited. “Let’s test you real quick. Can you say Guideline One?”

Guideline One? That sounded so simple. “Hello, everybody!” Freddy found himself reciting, playing. “Welcome to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza!”

That was the name of the restaurant he was going to. He wasn’t supposed to go outside of it because he could get damaged. The rules and guidelines ran behind his eyes.

“You’re just perfect,” Henry told him. He looked almost stary-eyed.

It made Freddy’s wires glow with warmth.

Henry gave him more instructions. Freddy moved forwards, backwards, side to side, diagonally. He twitched his nose and ears, wiggled his fingers and toes, grabbed items with ease, blinked his eyes and made facial expressions. He announced whatever guidelines Henry ordered him to say, repeating them with a slightly stiff vigor, but otherwise they came out smooth.

Whatever he did, Henry would clap and grin. “Wonderful!” he would always cry, even at the smallest thing.

Whoever Will was wasn’t coming out of wherever he was.

Despite Henry’s excitement, Freddy wasn’t sure why he shouldn’t ask Henry what was this, to speak out of his guidelines, but he listened to the feeling. It may have been that he didn’t see anything like him around the room that was moving or in one piece, or that it seemed like humans were the only thing alive in the shop. Either way, Freddy kept quiet, content to feign the part of an oblivious robot as he felt emotions swirl in his head.

-

Freddy was overwhelmed.

After some more exercises, Freddy had been shut down by a pin being put in the back of his neck by Henry. He had woken up in a box, the front gone and styrofoam on a floor that wasn’t the concrete of the workshop, but colorful tiles. The lights of the building were off, but he could see just fine.

Now he was in a giant room. There were tables lining the floor, party hats settled on the white and purple-speckled coverings. Booths were along the wall with bright red seats. A giant stage was at the front of the room with lights pointed at it from the ceiling, giant red and purple and white striped curtains pulled off to the sides.

“Oh.” Freddy kept looking around the room, the feeling of being small only growing inside his chest. “Oh my.”

The place was so big. No one was sent with him, he was the only one here. Was he supposed to entertain all the guests by himself? That just seemed so impossible. How could he do that all alone?

Then Freddy’s face hardened. If he was going to be here alone, he needed to get started on practicing. He needed to get started on making sure he could do all of his tasks perfectly. He recalled what his duties were, then picked one to start with. Carrying food was a good start, but he would start small.

Everything was in his head, but there was some kind of separation between him and his guidelines. He could switch back and forth when he wanted, that he knew, but he would always be conscious. That separation, that…free well, felt exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He needed to get them in sync.

The kitchen was fairly big. There Freddy found some plastic cups and plates. He knew that if he dropped them that they wouldn’t break, unlike glass. They had a little weight to them, but they weren’t significant. Still, it would do. He was just starting out.

Within fifteen minutes, Freddy was ready to deem his practice attempt as a disaster.

“Ugh!” he grunted when he hit another chair. The cups fell off the plates and clattered to the floor. “Come on, really?”

He felt so…frustrated. This was just so… So…

“So stupid!” Freddy exclaimed. “Why can’t I have someone with me to help?!”

A long bout of silence and stillness.

“Fine,” he mumbled, picking the cups up against. “One more time.”

After a few minutes of walking between the tables again and not hitting a single chair, everything still in hand, his mood lifted.

Freddy managed a small smile. This wasn’t so hard.

His break in concentration had him dropping the plastic plates and cups. They clattered loudly against the floor. Freddy reached to grab them, only for his feet and legs to tie themselves. He let out a startled squeal when he fell forward, hitting the ground with a heavy _thud_.

A beat passed.

A cup rolled in front of his face and gently touched his nose.

Freddy sighed. He was going to be practicing for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Freddy was like a little lamb. He used to be so clumsy and weak-legged. It's so weird to see just how much he's changed and grown since then.
> 
> And yes, that "Will" and Henry are who you think they are ;)


	5. New (1/3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freddy gets his wish for a friend in the form a purple bunny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluff from our bois (finally got around to finishing this one, ugh I'm so tired)! This takes place in late April of 1974 (Bonnie was "born" on the 18th) Freddy finally gets a friend!

Freddy couldn’t help but break character and lean from his spot on the stage when he heard the door open. It was well after closing and Gerald had gone home, so hearing employees coming in was a surprise this late.

“Jesus, this thing is massive!” he heard a man complain. “How big do you have to make a kid’s robot?”

A rounded ear perked. Robot?

“The one here already is bigger. Be lucky you didn’t have to haul him in,” someone responded.

“Can we just put it here?”

“Sure. Someone will open it sooner or later.”

The movers left. Freddy was off the stage the moment he heard the door lock. He nearly tripped over his own feet running to the room entrance to see just what had been left behind.

The box was big. That was really all it was; just a big box. Inside, however, was an animatronic. Freddy recognized that box; it was the exact same as his old one. The bear stared, wide-eyed and still. Would it be like him? What did it look like? Was it meant to be a partner to help entertain the children?

The box shook gently with little knocks. “Hello?” a light voice called. “Is anyone there?”

Freddy jumped a little. He was so shocked that he couldn’t find the voice to respond.

“I-I can’t move.” The box shook a little. “Hello? Anyone? It’s dark in here and I can’t move.”

Freddy wondered why they hadn’t opened the front of the box like his movers had done. “I’m here,” he answered. He heard a small, startled quiet squeak. “I’ll open the front, just hang on.”

He had to use his hands since there wasn’t anything to pry the board away. There were tools in the backroom, but Freddy didn’t want to wait in getting the newcomer out. The nails gave way and the wood bent. Freddy gave a few more yanks before finally it gave way and styrofoam flooded the floor around his feet.

Inside the box was a bunny. It wasn’t too much smaller than him, but much bigger compared to a human. The fur was fluffy and purple, the abdomen, muzzle, and inner ears a deep periwinkle while the rest was a deep lilac. It had rose red eyes, bright and wide as they stared. A bowtie was nestled against the neck, the same shade as the eyes.

He looked adorable.

“Hello,” Freddy greeted. The bunny’s ears twitched. “What’s your name?”

The bunny stammered for a moment. Freddy knew the little thing was feeling exactly what he had in the beginning, the feeling of life. “B-Bonnie,” he managed. His voice was light and soft. “Bonnie the Bunny,” he clarified.

That was too cute. Bonnie truly was a bunny, new to the world and so little. Freddy smiled brightly. “I’m Freddy Fazbear, but you can call me Freddy.” His head tilted slightly. “What do you do?”

“Um…” Bonnie thought for a moment. “I’m Bonnie the Bunny, I’m supposed to entertain children, I play the guitar…”

“A guitar?” Freddy echoed. He had seen one before. Bonnie was supposed to play it?

“Uh, yes?” He seemed almost unsure. Bonnie turned back towards the crate and riffled through the styrofoam. “Here it is!” he exclaimed, grabbing it.

It was sleek, shiny. The neck was long and black. The body was shaped like a sharp heart and a rose red. It was speckled with dark purple lightning bolts, so small that they looked like confetti. It was covered in a thin plastic wrapping, probably to keep any dust and dirt off of it; Freddy could definitely understand the reasoning there.

“Wow,” Freddy breathed. He had seen a guitar, or at least a few instruments that looked like them, but Bonnie’s looked so spiffy. “And you play it?”

Bonnie smiled sheepishly. “Yeah?” It was more of a question.

“That’s amazing!” A guitarist? That was creative. They’d synchronize well with some practice. “I can’t wait to hear you play.”

The bunny looked away, his smile becoming a little shaky. “Really?”

“Of course. I’d love to hear you play outside of practice and such.” But Freddy had a feeling he was getting ahead of himself, and Bonnie was looking a little nervous, so he said, “Do you want to see the main room?”

The long ears straightened. “Sure!”

The main room, while Freddy had well gotten used to, seemed to blow Bonnie away; the best way Freddy could describe the other’s expression.

Bonnie stared. “Wow,” he whispered. “This place is really big.”

With two animatronics, things might feel a little smaller now. Less intimidating. 

“And you had this place all to yourself?” Bonnie slowly made his way around, looking at everything in awe.

“Yes. It was just me.”

“Sounds…lonely.”

Freddy’s smile became sad. “It was,” he confirmed. “But now that you’re here, I have a feeling neither of us will be lonely.”

“Good, because the thought of being alone terrifies me and I still have no clue what’s going on.”

“I was exactly the same at first. I’ll help you settle in.”

The stage is what caught Bonnie’s attention next. “Whoa.” He moved over to it. His eyes were like a child’s, big and filled with wonder. “This is where you perform?”

“ _We_ ,” Freddy gently corrected, smiling. “Now we perform here.”

Fear passed over Bonnie’s face. “Sounds scary,” he mumbled.

“It can be at first,” the other said softly. “But it’s amazing. Once you get the hang of things, you’ll wonder why you ever felt nervous in the first place.”

The rosy eyes looked at him hopefully. “Really?” At Freddy’s firm nod, he looked back at the stage. “Where do I sit?” The stage was really big.

“Anywhere you want, I suppose.”

“Where do you sit?”

“In the middle, but I don’t mind shifting to make things symmetrical.”

Bonnie’s face scrunched up. “What’s sum-et-trik-al mean?” he asked, sounding out the word.

“Symmetrical means evenly split,” Freddy said.

“That’s a big word.”

“There’s a dictionary in the closet. It’s filled with words, but it’s very boring.”

Bonnie was climbing up onto the stage. He looked adorable, his one leg searching for purchase. “Can I see it later?”

“Sure,” Freddy answered. He couldn’t help his smile at Bonnie’s small struggle. “Can you get up?”

Just as he asked, Bonnie managed to flop onto the stage. “Yeah,” the bunny answered. He rolled onto his side, then sat up. “Okay, this is _way_ bigger than I thought,” he said.

“Trust me when I saw it’ll feel smaller when we’re both up there.” Freddy just knew it.

Bonnie shuffled in his new spot a few moments later, somewhere on Freddy’s right. Then he straightened and grinned. “Good?”

Freddy smiled. “Perfect,” he answered. He leaned against the stage. “Watch out for the drop whenever you come down, though. I’ve fallen off plenty of times.”

The bunny plopped down where he stood. “Okay.” He looked around “So what do you do for fun?”

Freddy gave a sheepish grin. “Read.” That was all he really could do on his own. “Books from the lost-and-found.”

Bonnie looked fascinated, rosy eyes wide. “Can I see?”

The lost-and-found box was a little crate by the front desk and prize counter. It was under the counter. Freddy’s temporary book was there just as it had been yesterday. He had already read it a few times, but it was the only one there right now. Freddy grabbed it, along with one of the bouncy balls that was in a separate box, and went back to the stage.

“Catch!” Freddy shouted, tossing the ball.

Bonnie squealed in slight terror as the ball bounced off the floor and onto the stage. He scrambled to grab it. “Don’t do that!” he cried. “That was…” He paused, looking down at the ball. “It’s squishy.”

“That’s the point.” Freddy climbed back onto the stage. “Like it?”

The material felt squishy under his hands. Bonnie giggled. “Yeah, it’s fun.”

“There’s a loose floorboard where I store a few things of my own. You can hide it there so the staff doesn’t find and take it.” Freddy showed him the book. “I’ve already read this one, but it’ll probably be donated in a few days and another book will be left eventually.” And if that wasn’t the case, newspapers never seemed to get old.

Bonnie eyed it. “Looks boring.”

The bear recoiled slightly, scowling lightly. Well, he'd just have to show Bonnie why books weren't boring. "Trust me when I saw it isn't on the inside. This is just one adventure inside one book, there’s hundreds more.”

Bonnie gaped. “It has pictures!” He leaned against Freddy, looking at the first page with wide eyes. “I take it back, that’s awesome! Can you read the sentences?”

“Yes.” Freddy raised a confused brow. “Can’t you?”

The bunny suddenly became withdrawn. “I, uh, yeah. But…” He reached and idly played with his bowtie. “Everything kind of gets jumbled.”

“That’s fine,” the other reassured. The bowtie touching seemed to be somewhat comforting to Bonnie. Freddy made a note of it. “The same happened with me. I think it’s the excitement and everything that’s happening. You’ll be able to read fine in no time.” Freddy, however, opened the book a little wider. “But I’ll gladly read to you.”

It wasn’t a very long book, but Freddy learned how to entertain himself when he wanted to read aloud. He changed the pitch of his voice for different characters, did dramatic pauses, and was animated while holding the book. Bonnie was completely enthralled, squeaking at every twist and constantly asking what was going to happen next.

Freddy had never felt so happy in his life, and they were just sitting there.

“…they lived happily ever after.” Freddy closed the book. “The end.”

Bonnie’s eyelids had started drooping with his ears sometime during the story, and he had leaned most of his weight on Freddy’s right side. The ball was loosely gripped in his hand. He looked so worn out and tired. It was adorable.

“We’re closed tomorrow, so we can sleep however we want on the stage.”

They settled into a better position, mostly because Bonnie started whining the second Freddy tried to move. That was fine, Freddy was perfectly okay with being Bonnie’s pillow. The bear settled on his back, Bonnie curling under his right arm with his head nestled on Freddy’s shoulder. The soft ears had gone limp, both flopped behind his head against the floor.

Absolutely adorable.

“This place is awesome.” Bonnie yawned. “You’re awesome.”

Freddy felt his heart swell. “I’m glad you like it here,” he said, barely containing himself. “We’ll talk more in the morning. Goodnight, Bonnie.”

“’night,” the other mumbled, snuggling a little further into the chocolate fur.

It only took a moment for Freddy to finally give in and run a hand over the deep lilac fur on Bonnie’s arm. “You’re very fluffy,” he muttered, more to himself than Bonnie.

The bunny had already fallen asleep. He didn’t even twitch.

“Fluffy,” Freddy repeated quietly. “I think that suites you very well along with your name.” Nicknames were a thing. He wondered how Bonnie would like it.

Bonnie curled a little more against him. He looked so peaceful, so adorable. Freddy felt another burst of joyous warmth, leaning his head gently against Bonnie's to start allowing himself to drift.

It took two years, but Freddy's wish for a friend finally came true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tired from college, I needed this as much as y'all did.
> 
> Bonnie actually has a habit of falling asleep on Freddy's right shoulder, so this was actually the beginning of that habit. Freddy, of course, never minded.
> 
> Also I have no clue what type of guitar Bonnie has, I can't find anything on it. I made my own tweaks to it because yeah.

**Author's Note:**

> More fluff to come!


End file.
